Charlotte Wine & Food Weekend has rebranded as Charlotte Wine & Food Week, and the festival has released its complete schedule. Events kick off on Thursday, April 23 with dinners hosted at restaurants around town. Each of these restaurant vintner dinners includes a high-end tasting menu paired with wines from a specific vintner. Tickets for these dinners cost $175, and include pairings such as Bardo and The Spire, Bonterra and Orin Swift, Fin & Fino and Broadbent Selections, and The Fig Tree and Stonestreet Estate. Tickets include gratuity, and $50 is tax deductible.

The festival’s signature grand tasting event ($125) will take place on Friday, April 24 at the Wells Fargo Atrium. Restaurants from around the city — including Bar Marcel, Dot Dot Dot, and Sweet Lew’s — will serve small bites to enjoy alongside the 100-plus wines that will be poured. There will also be a silent auction.

The week culminates in a 1,000-point tasting event, where guests will sample 10 100-point wines led by Master Sommelier Laura Fiorvanti, owner of Corkbuzz. There will also be a tasting of Purlieu, a wine by the festival’s 2020 Winemaker Honoree Julien Fayard, at the $500-per-ticket event. The evening will wrap up with a dinner by James Stouffer, executive chef of La Belle Helene and formerly of Halcyon.

As a non-profit, Charlotte Wine & Food’s board selects charities to receive proceeds. This year, the charities are centered around children: GenOne, Mitchell’s Fun, The Learning Collaborative, and The Relatives. Last year, $180,000 was donated. Purchase tickets here. —Kristen Wile

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